Cold At Dusk

Chapter Twenty Nine

...but love is forgiveness. That was the reason Kamsi battled within herself to let go but it was difficult. Memories of so many things she had been through did not make it easier. It replayed in her head over and over again. The lies only made it more painful. In place of where her love was supposed to be was pain and bitterness. These emotions lodged in her heart like a big bolus of eba lodged in the throat.

The head quarters where Kamsi worked had fixed a date for promotion exams to be in January. Even though Joseph had promised Kamsi a better place in one of the ministries, she still felt it wise to purchase the book to be revised for the promotion exam. She did not want to be a dependent, not on anyone anymore.

Kamsi just bought the book containing a detailed information of affairs in the civil service from the head of service's office. She walked back to her crowded office loosely flinging her black hand bag. Nothing was on her mind at the moment except the things she had to achieve in the day.

"Nwunye engineer " Ireti called once she entered the office.

Kamsi smiled and settled in the bench close to the wall.

"I will join you when we're going o. This your car you started bringing has been saving my life " Ireti said.

"It's no problem ma" Kamsi replied with a smile.

She had found out where Mark kept his Condoms which was the same place he kept his car keys hidden under a stack of neatly folded BYC pants and singlets. As the week resumed, she picked a car key from the drawer which was the camry Mark hardly used.  

When Mark realized she had picked the car key he did not stress the matter. He did not even act like he noticed because he knew she must have seen the other things she was not supposed to see.

Same as always, wares were displayed on the corridor outside the office.. Footwears, clothes, bags, even gala and cold drinks. Kamsi buys a cold fanta just to have something chilled run down her system in the hot weather. She returns to the office and does nothing but watch the occupants.. The people that slept with their heads on the large table at the centre of the room and a woman close to the other who was eating her lunch, a colleague who was currently selling her homemade air freshener and Madam who was lost looking outside so she could find a topic to discuss.

Work ended and Kamsi had a file of people who wanted to join her in her car to a junction that was convenient for them. She had turned a chauffeur since she started coming with a car. Only four people joined the car but it was still as noisy as the office.

" You people are waiting for that criminal, Adaku to pay your money, I heard she has opened bar" Blessing said. She was of the same age bracket of late twenties with Kamsi though unmarried.

Her statement got the car quiet except for the voice of Sinach playing in the car.

"Which Adaku? " Ireti asked, turning to look at the back seat .

"Are they many that ran away with our akawo? " Blessing asked.

The other two women at the back seat, laughed at the shock on Ireti 's face. Kamsi just minded the road. She knew of the woman who ran away with the women's monthly contribution. She was only grateful that she had not thought of joining their contribution and after it happened, it discouraged her more.

"Adaku? Her brother told me she was flown to India, that she had cancer " Ireti said, still baffled.

"Amen. She'll get it. India is now at Ukwunwangwo" Amara, another woman at the back seat said.

"She has bleached and bleached away her conscience. She should wait till we storm that place with police " Blessing said.

Ireti faced the road while Kamsi just smiled as she steered the steering. Ukwuwangwo was the market joint in Uturu, a village close to Okigwe . It was a good place to open a bar, attracting more customers from the village market and also a large number of the villagers.